Pakistan search landmark as first Sri Lanka Take a look at begins at Galle right this moment

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Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi and skipper Babar Azam throughout apply session at Galle on Saturday.

GALLE: Pakistan strike bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will search to take his 100th Take a look at wicket within the first Take a look at in opposition to Sri Lanka beginning in Galle on Sunday, a yr after he was injured on the similar floor. Shaheen was on 99 Take a look at wickets when he was injured touchdown awkwardly on the boundary line attempting to cease the ball, and will probably be his first outing within the lengthy type of the sport since then. “Accidents are part of an athlete’s life, however it’s good to be again,” he advised AFP on the finish of Pakistan’s two-day warm-up fixture in opposition to a Sri Lanka Cricket President’s XI, which resulted in a draw at Hambantota. The century of Take a look at wickets “could be a giant achievement for me” and he has had an prolonged wait to achieve the milestone, he added. “It’s powerful to be away from cricket, however time has helped me be taught rather a lot.”

The 2 sides are each shadows of the Take a look at powers they as soon as had been, and are starting the lengthy quest to attempt to qualify for the subsequent ICC World Take a look at Championship last, to be held in 2025. The hosts are in seventh place and the guests sixth within the present ICC Take a look at rankings. In final yr’s collection, Pakistan received the primary Take a look at by 4 wickets whereas Sri Lanka received the second by 246 to sq. the collection, with Shaheen out of the assault. Each matches had been performed in Galle.

Within the current warm-up match Shaheen bowled at searing tempo with deadly seam, taking three wickets for 36 in 12 overs as Pakistan dismissed the opposition for 196. “I’m very excited to be making my Take a look at comeback within the nation the place I used to be injured,” he mentioned. Sri Lanka will probably be seeking to change Asitha Fernando, who has gone down with dengue fever, with uncapped left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka. After a powerful begin to his white-ball profession, 22-year-old Madushanka has performed six ODIs and 11 T20Is, and is eyeing a Take a look at debut after being named in Sri Lanka’s squad of 16 for the primary Take a look at.

He was not too long ago Participant of the Match within the 2023 ICC Males’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier last in opposition to the Netherlands, taking three for 18 in a tremendous new-ball spell. Off-spinner Lakshitha Manasinghe is the opposite new face within the hosts’ squad. However he should deal with a number of different spinners for a spot within the group, amongst them Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis, the recalled Praveen Jayawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, and middle-order batsman Dhananjaya de Silva.

De Silva is the inheritor obvious to the Take a look at captaincy and has been named as deputy to Dimuth Karunaratne, who’s recovering from a hamstring damage and had mentioned he needs to step down forward of the brand new WTC cycle, however was requested by the selectors to proceed. As cowl for Karunaratne the selectors recalled Pathum Nissanka, who has figured principally in white-ball cricket since taking part in his final Take a look at in opposition to Australia at Galle in July 2022.

Squads: Pakistan for each Assessments: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain/wk), Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Aamer Jamal, Abrar Ahmed, Hassan Ali, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Sri Lanka for first Take a look at: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva (vice-captain), Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Vishwa Fernando, Lakshitha Manasinghe.

Match officers: Rod Tucker and Alex Wharf (each on-field), Chris Gaffaney (third umpire), David Boon (match referee).

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